ReLeaf Michigan
ReLeaf Michigan is this month's nonprofit partner. They work throughout the state of Michigan to plant trees and to provide education on how to properly select, plant, and maintain them. ReLeaf Michigan has been helping to make Michigan healthier, one tree at a time, since 1988. They seek to plant "the right tree in the right place at the right time to ensure each tree thrives for generations to come."
ReLeaf Michigan was founded in 1988 by some of the most respected arborists in the state. To date they have planted over 30,000 trees in 400 communities. You can see a map of their impact here. They plant trees that are already substantial in size to ensure that they have a high rate of survival. ReLeaf Michigan received the Community Service Award at the 2017 Arboricultural Society of Michigan's ArborCon and the 2017 Air Quality Pillar Award from the Mid Michigan Environmental Action Council.
ReLeaf Michigan's mission is to educate the public on the value of trees and how to properly select, plant, and maintain them.
Donations made to ReLeaf Michigan will have a great impact on the natural environment within Michigan. The approximately 500 trees that they plant each year:
- Absorb 1.9 million pounds of CO2
- Absorb 14 million gallons of rainwater
- Increase retail sales in tree-lined districts
- Decrease local childhood asthma rates
- Increase home values by 20%
- Reduce energy of homes
- Decrease crime in neighborhoods
- Lower stress when living close to a green space
ReLeaf Michigan's Work
Community Tree Plantings
ReLeaf Michigan plants trees in collaboration with neighborhood organizations, communities, service organizations, and schools throughout Michigan. They share the cost 50-50 to promote greater ownership of the trees that are planted.
Tree Education Workshops
Educational presentations and workshops are put on by ReLeaf Michigan every year. Some presentations that they host include: Basic Tree Care and Maintenance, Protect Oak Trees from Oak Wilt Disease, Benefits of an Urban Tree Canopy, The Latest Insects and Diseases, Native Michigan Landscape Trees, and more.
Big Tree Hunt
Every other year, ReLeaf Michigan hosts the Michigan Big Tree Hunt Contest. Participants submit entries for the biggest tree of a species within their county or across the entire state. They have different divisions by age, species, White Pine (Michigan's State Tree), and by county.
Stormwater Projects
The relationship between trees and a region's water quality lead to the natural extension of ReLeaf Michigan working in stormwater projects. To date, they have worked in the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed, the Lower Grand Canopy Watershed, and the St. Joseph River Watershed.
Michigan Oak Wilt Coalition
ReLeaf Michigan co-founded the Michigan Oak Wilt Coalition in 2017. The coalition is a partnership between private, nonprofit, and government organizations. The Oak Wilt Coalition's goal is to increase awareness on how to prevent the spread of oak wilt and protect Michigan's valuable oak tree population.
Tree Management Assistance
ReLeaf Michigan has helped to establish the Saginaw Bay Forestry Network, the Lower Grand River Watershed Forestry Network, and the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed Forestry Network. These organizations have helped to inform the community about tree related topics including the selection of street trees, emerald ash borer, the pruning of community trees, urban tree canopy, and street tree inventories.
Tree Planting Resources
ReLeaf Michigan has a plethora of tree planting resources available on their site:
- A Pocket Guide to Planting Trees
- How to Plant an Oak Seedling
- "How to Plant a Seedling" YouTube video
- Tree Owner's Manual for the Midwest
- Post-Planting Care for Street Trees
- and more!
Join us in supporting ReLeaf Michigan!
75% of this month's donations will go towards our partner, ReLeaf Michigan.
This month and every month, Wild Boyz Photography will be partnering with one nonprofit. 75% of any donations that we receive during the month will go to the nonprofit. Help ReLeaf Michigan continue their mission of educating the public on the value of trees and how to properly select, plant, and maintain them.